1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a multi-piece solid golf ball having a cover of inner and outer layers and more particularly, to a multi-piece solid golf ball in which cover hardness and dimples are optimized to improve flight distance performance.
2. Prior Art
Golf balls are generally classified into solid golf balls in which a solid core is enclosed with at least one layer of cover and wound golf balls in which a wound core in the form of a center ball having thread rubber wound thereon is enclosed with a cover. Numerous modifications were heretofore proposed to improve flight distance properties, spin performance, and controllability.
As one example of such proposals, an approach of increasing a spin rate by forming the cover soft or to low hardness falls under the category of the prior art. In particular, improvements in multi-piece solid golf balls are by adjusting the composition and hardness of the thermoplastic resin of which each cover layer is constructed. For example, if it is desired to increase a spin rate, the outer cover layer coming in direct contact with the club face is formed relatively soft in consideration of a friction phenomenon upon impact. Inversely, if it is desired to decrease a spin rate, the outer cover layer is formed relatively hard.
However, the multi-piece solid golf balls wherein the outer cover layer is formed relatively soft have the problem that a desired spin rate is not always obtained because the hardness of the inner cover layer in contact with the outer cover layer is not optimized Therefore, the deformation process upon impact differs among the respective layers.
Also proposed were techniques of forming the inner cover layer relatively soft in order to increase a spin rate and forming the outer and inner cover layers relatively soft in order to further increase a spin rate. There arises the problem that the trajectory changes in flight to adversely affect the flight distance.
On the other hand, for those golf balls required to have flight distance performance, it is difficult to form dimples suitable for the spin range and restitution which vary with the cover hardness. Golf balls with dimples of one type suffer from the problem that they rise too high or drop to detract from flight distance performance.